Zeidan Mona, Ballout Rouba, Al-Akl Nayla, Kharroubi Samer A
Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Riad El Solh, Beirut, Lebanon.
Office of Student Affairs, American University of Beirut, Riad El Solh, Beirut, Lebanon.
PLoS One. 2025 Aug 12;20(8):e0329888. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0329888. eCollection 2025.
Extracurricular activities (ECA) offer students valuable opportunities to engage in nonacademic pursuits, which can be a powerful strategy for managing stress and achieving a balanced life. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of stress among students from the American University of Beirut (AUB), and examine the association between ECA and stress levels.
A cross-sectional, self-administered online survey was conducted among AUB students in Lebanon during the spring 2024 semester. Stress levels were evaluated using Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), a validated screening tool. The questionnaire also included general questions about students' participation in ECA. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was applied to explore the association between ECA and stress levels, and to investigate which socio-demographic characteristics are associated with stress levels.
A total of 365 students completed the questionnaire. Findings showed that 71.5% of students experienced symptoms of moderate stress and 38.6% of the participants reported being involved in ECA at AUB. Our results indicated a significant association between perceived stress and participation in ECA. Students who did not participate in ECA had higher odds of experiencing stress compared to those who did (OR= 2.628, p = 0.031). Additionally, the models identified three more correlates of stress. Male students had lower odds of experiencing moderate stress than female students (OR=0.371, p = 0.008). Students who studied 10-15 hours per week had higher odds of experiencing moderate stress compared to those who studied 15 or more hours per week (OR=3.157, p = 0.043). Finally, unemployed students had higher odds of experiencing high stress compared to employed students (OR= 5.191, p < 0.001).
This study revealed alarming stress levels among university students in Lebanon. The findings suggest that encouraging ECA participation is essential for enhancing student well-being.
课外活动为学生提供了参与非学术追求的宝贵机会，这可能是管理压力和实现生活平衡的有力策略。本研究旨在评估贝鲁特美国大学（AUB）学生的压力患病率，并研究课外活动与压力水平之间的关联。
2024年春季学期，在黎巴嫩的AUB学生中进行了一项横断面、自我管理的在线调查。使用科恩感知压力量表（PSS）评估压力水平，这是一种经过验证的筛查工具。问卷还包括关于学生参与课外活动的一般问题。应用多项逻辑回归分析来探讨课外活动与压力水平之间的关联，并调查哪些社会人口学特征与压力水平相关。
共有365名学生完成了问卷。结果显示，71.5%的学生有中度压力症状，38.6%的参与者报告参与了AUB的课外活动。我们的结果表明，感知压力与参与课外活动之间存在显著关联。与参与课外活动的学生相比，未参与课外活动的学生经历压力的几率更高（OR = 2.628，p = 0.031）。此外，模型还确定了另外三个压力相关因素。男生经历中度压力的几率低于女生（OR = 0.371，p = 0.008）。每周学习10 - 15小时的学生比每周学习15小时或更多小时的学生经历中度压力的几率更高（OR = 3.157，p = 0.043）。最后，与就业学生相比，失业学生经历高压力的几率更高（OR = 5.191，p < 0.001）。
本研究揭示了黎巴嫩大学生令人担忧的压力水平。研究结果表明，鼓励学生参与课外活动对提高学生幸福感至关重要。
